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enRecord number of Spurs men in FFT’s Best 100 for 2016Four Tottenham Hotspur men have been named in FourFourTwos Best 100 Players in the World 2016 a record high for the Lilywhites over 10 editions of the list.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/record-number-spurs-men-ffts-best-100-2016
After scoring 21 Premier League goals in 2014/15 and earning a place among the FFT100 for the first time, England striker Harry Kane followed that up by bagging an additional 25 top-flight goals last term, and climbs 18 places in the standings.
But Kane is not the most prominent Tottenham man in the Top 100 this year, with Belgian centre-back Toby Alderweireld claiming that accolade at number 33.
Speaking to FFT on being named our best Premier League defender, the Spurs man said: “I am very honoured. I’ve tried to work very hard over the last couple of years to get to this kind of level, to improve myself and help the team.”
RT @FourFourTwo: @AlderweireldTob named the top Premier League defender in this years #FFT100 pic.twitter.com/5WsDYjx4Ew Tottenham Sweden (@TottenhamSweden) December 1, 2016
There are twice as many Spurs men in the FFT100 compared to 12 months ago, and although Son Heung-Min drops out, there’s a return for Hugo Lloris. The Frenchman placed at number 88 in 2014 before failing to make the cut last time.
And making his Top 100 debut is Dele Alli, who shone in his first season at White Hart Lane after arriving from MK Dons. Alli scored 10 Premier League goals in 2015/16, assisted a further nine and netted on his fourth appearance for England.
“He brought a lot to the team and it was not easy for him, but he did it brilliantly and we expect a bright future from him,” said Lloris. “If he keeps the same mentality and keeps working as he needs to do, he will have a great career.”
TEAMMATESBoth Hugo Lloris @Dele_Alli make it into #FFT100. Heres the Tottenham skipper talking about his @SpursOfficial teammate... pic.twitter.com/0SiyoXUPvP FourFourTwo (@FourFourTwo) November 28, 2016
FOURFOURTWO’S BEST 100 FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN THE WORLD 2016
news_articleFri, 09 Dec 2016 12:25:50 +0000Gregg Davies659481 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSterling still England’s leading Lion in Best 100Raheem Sterling has retained his place as the top English player in FourFourTwos Best 100 Players in the World, although he has fallen eight places from his 2015 ranking.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/sterling-still-englands-leading-lion-best-100
The Manchester City forward suffered an indifferent debut campaign at the Etihad Stadium following his move from Liverpool, scoring six goals in 31 Premier League games, and only twice in 21 appearances in the second half of the season.
And the youngster’s hopes of putting his 2015/16 teething troubles behind him weren’t helped by England’s dismal display at the European Championship, with Sterling criticised following his group-stage displays against Russia and Wales.
As a result, the 21-year-old has dropped down to number 57 in the FFT100, but a series of impressive showings under new manager Pep Guardiola – contributing to six goals in his first 12 league games – ensures he is still the leading English player.
Like last year, four of the Three Lions’ contingent make the final 100, but the 2016 edition of the list features two brand new entries and one headline absentee.
Harry Kane rises 18 places after netting 20+ league goals for the second season in succession, as Spurs came a whisker away from winning a first title since 1960/61.
While Jamie Vardy’s 24 league goals in 2015/16, firing Leicester City to a fairytale title success, sees the former Fleetwood Town frontman make his FFT100 debut.
And Dele Alli features in the game’s elite group for the first time after a stunning first season at the highest level, scoring 10 Premier League goals, assisting a further nine and netting on only his fourth senior appearance for England.
Disappearing from the Top 100 in 2016 are goalkeeper Joe Hart, who made high-profile mistakes against Wales and Iceland at the European Championship, before being ousted from his No.1 role at Manchester City by new manager Guardiola.
But the biggest absentee comes in the form of England’s record goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, who had featured in all nine previous editions of FFT’s annual list.
The Manchester United striker placed as high as 6th in 2011, but having only just retained his place in the list last year, the Merseysider bows out for the first time.
FOURFOURTWO’S BEST 100 FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN THE WORLD 2016
news_articleFri, 09 Dec 2016 12:20:55 +0000Gregg Davies659460 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKane relieved to end Wembley hoodooTottenham finally earned a Wembley win on Wednesday and Harry Kane hopes Spurs can now mount a challenge in the Europa League.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/kane-relieved-end-wembley-hoodoo
Harry Kane is hoping Tottenham can use Wednesday's 3-1 victory over CSKA Moscow as a springboard for a lengthy Europa League run, after they ended their miserable run of results at Wembley.
Spurs had failed to win their previous six matches at the national stadium, the temporary venue for their continental matches due to construction work at White Hart Lane, with Champions League defeats to Bayer Leverkusen and Monaco proving costly this term.
Those results were largely responsible for ending Tottenham's hopes of progressing in Europe's premier club competition, but they at least concluded their Group E campaign on a winning note.
Alan Dzagoev gave CSKA the lead against the run of play after 33 minutes, but Dele Alli and Harry Kane responded swiftly to put Spurs ahead, before an Igor Akinfeev own goal made the points safe for Mauricio Pochettino's men.
Asked about his team's past Wembley struggles, Kane told BT Sport: "That's what we wanted to put right.
"Obviously a lot of people have been talking about it and it's been a bit annoying so it was good to go out there and win.
"Now we're obviously into the Europa League, so we'll be playing here again and hopefully we can build on this and go far in that competition."
Fellow goalscorer Alli, who spurned two excellent chances prior to his equaliser, added: "It's a good platform to build on.
"We felt as soon as the first whistle went that we were dominating and their goal was definitely against the run of play.
"We knew the chances would come again and we knew that if we put them away and stuck to the gameplan we'd win the game."
news_articleWed, 07 Dec 2016 22:20:06 +0000Anonymous660687 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comTottenham 3 CSKA Moscow 1: Spurs survive scare to seal Europa League berthLeonid Slutsky's last game in charge of CSKA ended in defeat as Tottenham came from behind to deservedly seal third spot in Group E.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/tottenham-3-cska-moscow-1-spurs-survive-scare-seal-europa-league-berth
Tottenham put aside their previous Wembley woes by coming from behind to record a 3-1 Champions League victory over CSKA Moscow and secure a place in the Europa League.
Both teams came into Wednesday's match knowing their hopes of continued participation in Europe's premier club competition were over, but Mauricio Pochettino had insisted Spurs would treat their final Group E fixture with the utmost importance.
That was borne out by the Argentine manager's starting line-up, which showed just one change from Saturday's 5-0 victory over Swansea in the Premier League, with Harry Winks replacing Mousa Dembele, yet it was CSKA - needing victory to overhaul their opponents - who claimed a 33rd-minute lead against the run of play through Alan Dzagoev.
Dele Alli and Harry Kane ensured Spurs - without a win in their last six outings at Wembley - were deservedly ahead by the break, however, and a home win was sealed by Igor Akinfeev's somewhat bizarre own goal with 13 minutes remaining.
Spurs go into next Monday's draw for the last 32 of the Europa League, while CSKA will turn their attention to finding a new manager during a three-month mid-season break, having announced on Tuesday this would be Leonid Slutsky's final game in charge.
Amid a low-key atmosphere, Tottenham predictably dominated possession and territory from the outset.
Christian Eriksen and Alli were guilty of spurning the most presentable opportunities in the first half-hour, both shooting tamely at visiting goalkeeper Akinfeev from close range.
And Tottenham were punished for their profligacy when Zoran Tosic nodded Bibras Natcho's lofted pass into the path of Dzagoev, who escaped Eric Dier and took a touch before firing a low finish beyond Hugo Lloris.
CSKA's lead proved short-lived as Alli, who had also headed wide early on, provided the opening period's standout moment of quality five minutes later.
The England midfielder brought down a right-wing cross from Eriksen superbly and curled a shot back across goal into the far corner, although Kyle Walker had appeared offside in a scrappy build-up.
Spurs' second goal, which came in first-half injury-time after CSKA had threatened for a second time on the counter, could also have been ruled out, but the linesman's flag stayed down as Eriksen's chip found Danny Rose in space and the left-back's first-time ball across the face of goal left Kane with a simple finish.
Make that 9 goals in 9 games for Harry Kane...#UCL pic.twitter.com/B3A1xWJTmV
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 7, 2016
The pattern of play remained largely the same after the interval, with the influential Eriksen involved in much of Tottenham's best work.
A third Spurs goal initially remained elusive, Kane heading over from 10 yards shortly before the crowd was lifted by Toby Alderweireld's return from injury as a 68th-minute replacement for Victor Wanyama, which saw Dier slot into midfield.
However, after Eriksen and Kane had forced further saves from Akinfeev, Tottenham pulled further clear when the CSKA goalkeeper made a fine save from Alli's header, only to then divert the loose ball into his own net with his right foot.
news_articleWed, 07 Dec 2016 21:36:23 +0000Anonymous660681 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKane wants to see out career at TottenhamTottenham's England striker Harry Kane insists he wants to stay at the club for the rest of his career after signing a deal to 2022.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/kane-wants-see-out-career-tottenham
Harry Kane says there is no reason why he will not spend the rest of his playing career at Tottenham, so long as the club keeps progressing.
The England striker penned a new deal at White Hart Lane that runs until 2022 this week and celebrated by scoring twice in a 5-0 battering of Swansea City in the Premier League on Saturday.
The 23-year-old, who has hit five goals in his last four Tottenham appearances, is targeting winning trophies with Spurs and expects to be in north London beyond the length of his new contract.
"From my point of view, as long as the club's always progressing and has got a vision and going forward, then I'd love to do that [stay for the rest of my career]," Kane said.
"At the moment, that's the case, so there is no reason for me to move anywhere else. My ambitions at Tottenham are to win trophies. Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues. We've got to aim high, we have everything in the right place.
"You see the stadium being built every time we come here, little by little. It's exciting. We've got everything in place to be one of the top clubs in Europe.
"That's the aim, that's my goal and I'm sure it is the club's too. I'm happy here, I feel the club's progressing, we've got a great manager who I believe in a lot and the players believe in a lot, the stadium, the training ground, they are exciting times.
"There was no hesitation about signing a new contract."
An ankle injury disrupted the start of Kane's season but with seven Premier League goals to his name he is hitting top form again.
"When you are injured, you're always thinking what is it going to feel like when you are playing again," Kane said. "I did a lot of rehab work and a lot of stuff in the gym to be as ready as possible.
"It's very pleasing to come back from a period out and still be scoring goals. Hopefully I can keep doing that for the rest of the season. We know in the last couple of months we could have done a lot better.
"We spoke about how these next couple are very important. Last year in December and January we really pushed on and put a good string of results together. That is what we have got to do now.
"We have definitely got some winnable games coming up, some good games at home that we should definitely win. We are looking at these next two months to build on this win against Swansea, hopefully get a few wins in a row and push us up the league and start fighting for the title."
news_articleSun, 04 Dec 2016 23:48:07 +0000Anonymous659441 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comTottenham 5 Swansea City 0: Kane celebrates new deal with braceTottenham striker Harry Kane capped off an excellent individual week with a double in a 5-0 rout of Swansea City.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/tottenham-5-swansea-city-0-kane-celebrates-new-deal-brace
Harry Kane celebrated his new Tottenham contract in style as he scored twice in an easy 5-0 win over Premier League strugglers Swansea City on Saturday.
The striker put pen to paper on a deal that will keep him at Spurs until 2022 on Thursday and capped off a fine week with a demonstration of his goalscoring prowess at White Hart Lane.
Kane opened the scoring in the 39th minute when he converted a penalty, before doubling his tally with a clinical finish early in the second half.
That brace was sandwiched by Son Heung-min's superb bicycle-kick volley and Christian Eriksen added a double of his own to complete the rout.
The victory represents just Spurs' second win from their last 11 games in all competitions and keeps Mauricio Pochettino's men within seven points of leaders Chelsea in fifth place.
Swansea, meanwhile, return to the bottom of the table again with just nine points to their name.
Tottenham were in control right from the off and their first genuine chance came after 20 minutes, Kane forcing Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski into a strong save with a powerful header towards the top-right corner from Kyle Walker's right-wing cross.
Victor Wanyama should then perhaps have opened the scoring when he found himself in a dangerous position following a clever flick from Dele Alli, only for the midfielder to aim a weak attempt straight at Fabianski from just outside the area.
The hosts' pressure eventually paid off in the 39th minute when Kane converted a somewhat controversial penalty.
There did not appear to be much contact between Kyle Naughton and Alli, but referee Jon Moss decided otherwise and pointed to the spot, with Kane coolly slotting home from 12 yards.
Spurs immediately started pushing for more and Son doubled their lead in the 45th minute with an acrobatic finish, volleying past the helpless Fabianski at the near post after Eriksen's shot was deflected into his path.
Swansea struggled to get out of their own half and Kane compounded the Welsh side's misery with his second after the restart.
Son selflessly left the ball to last season's top scorer after a quick counter-attack and Kane had little trouble powering past Fabianski from the centre of the box.
Kane then had a goal disallowed for offside as he went in search of his hat-trick, with Fabianski denying him that achievement moments later.
But Spurs did get their fourth when Eriksen bundled the ball in from point-blank range after Fabianski had performed further heroics to thwart Alli.
Walker, Wanyama and Kane all saw opportunities to add a fifth go begging, but it was Eriksen who had the final say well into stoppage time, beating Fabianski with a low shot into the bottom-right corner.
news_articleSat, 03 Dec 2016 17:00:26 +0000Anonymous658847 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comLloris to follow Kane and pen new Spurs dealTottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino hopes that securing Harry Kane's future will bring top form out of the England striker.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/lloris-follow-kane-and-pen-new-spurs-deal
Mauricio Pochettino says Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris is set to follow in the footsteps of Harry Kane and sign a new contract at White Hart Lane.
Kane penned fresh terms on Thursday, taking his deal up to 2022 and reportedly putting him among the club's highest earners.
Pochettino now hopes that Kane can knuckle down and fire Spurs back into the battle at the top of the Premier League after failures to beat Leicester City, Arsenal and Chelsea left Spurs seven points adrift of Antonio Conte's table-toppers.
The Spurs manager said: "It is important for the club and for everyone – great news. We feel very happy because once more Harry is showing his commitment to the club and the project. That is great for us.
"It is fantastic for the player. It is important for him to be calm in his mind, focused on playing and improving. When players are involved in talks like these it can always affect them.
"Now the deal is done it is important to focus on the future, to train and improve and try to score the goals he needs to score.
"In two and a half years here I have always shown that Harry is involved in my plans. It is very important for the future of the club, not only for my plans but also for Tottenham’s in the future."
Kane joined the likes of Christian Eriksen, Eric Dier, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker in committing his future to Tottenham this season and Lloris appears to be next on the list.
Pochettino said: "Maybe in the next few days you will receive some news.
"Hugo is a very ambitious player but he is very happy here. Only I can tell you he is very happy and he wants success here and to stay here at Tottenham.
"That is his ambition."
news_articleThu, 01 Dec 2016 14:39:22 +0000Anonymous658015 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comSigurdsson: Kane will be Spurs' main man for years to comeHarry Kane's desire to impress in Tottenham training sometimes left now Swansea City midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson frustrated.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/sigurdsson-kane-will-be-spurs-main-man-years-come
Gylfi Sigurdsson says he had to have a quiet word in the ear of Harry Kane to temper his enthusiasm when the pair were team-mates at Tottenham.
Sigurdsson spent two years at White Hart Lane between 2012 and 2014 before returning to Swansea City in search of regular first-team football.
England striker Kane was attempting to force his way into the first-team picture at Spurs during that time and was seemingly keen to display his goalscoring prowess on the training pitch.
Sigurdsson, who will face Kane for the first time since helping Iceland knock England out of Euro 2016 when Swansea visit Spurs in the Premier League on Saturday, was not always impressed with Kane's single-minded approach to scoring goals in training.
However, he expects the 23-year-old - who signed a new contract at Tottenham until 2022 on Thursday - to be the main man at Spurs for the forseeable future.
"You can tell in training that he wanted score goals," he told Omnisport.
"It was a little bit annoying sometimes and I think I had a chat with him.
"With young players you never know how quickly they're going adapt.
"But he's been outstanding for the club and I think he'll be their main man in the next few years. Even now he is their main man."
news_articleThu, 01 Dec 2016 12:11:45 +0000Anonymous657960 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comKane signs new contract with TottenhamTottenham's England striker Harry Kane has signed a new contract at the club that runs until 2022.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/kane-signs-new-contract-tottenham
Striker Harry Kane has signed a new contract at Tottenham which runs until 2022, the club have announced.
Kane had signed a new deal until 2020 in February, but his latest contract is reported to bring him in line with the club's top earners.
Reports suggested that the likes of Manchester United and AC Milan were contemplating a big-money move for Kane if Spurs could not meet his wage demands.
However, the 23-year-old recently spoke of his desire to remain at Tottenham for a "long, long time" and he has committed to Mauricio Pochettino's side for the long term.
Speaking about the new deal, Kane told Spurs' official website: "It's amazing. Everyone knows how much I love this team and what I feel for this club.
"To sign another contract is a special feeling. We've got a great, young squad and the club is moving in the right direction."
@HKane : "It's amazing. Everyone knows how much I love this team and what I feel for this Club." #COYS pic.twitter.com/5LdQBOpX9c
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 1, 2016
Kane has risen through the youth ranks to become an integral part of Spurs' first team after spending time on loan at Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City earlier in his career.
The England striker has flourished under the stewardship of Pochettino and he has five Premier League goals to his name this season having scored 46 over the previous two.
Kane joins the likes of Christian Eriksen, Eric Dier, Danny Rose and Kyle Walker in committing his future to Tottenham this season.
Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League with just one defeat from 13 matches, although they failed to progress from the Champions League group stages.
news_articleThu, 01 Dec 2016 11:34:50 +0000Anonymous657943 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comInfographic: The 10 best attacking players in the Premier LeagueWho are the most fearsome forwards statistically over the last 12 months?http://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/infographic-10-best-attacking-players-premier-league
It's our annual list of the planet's 100 best footballers this week onFourFourTwo.com– but that's not where the fun starts and ends.
MAKE A STARTFourFourTwo’s Best 100 Football Players in the World 2016: 100-91
We've also pulled together data from the Premier League to bring you the most effective stars at either ends of the pitch over the last calendar year – and here it's the attackers' turn in the spotlight(you can see the top defensive performers here).
So which 10 players have directly contributed to the most goals since November 2015, taking both goals andassists into consideration? There's a certain trend where Sergio Aguero and Harry Kane are concerned...
FourFourTwo’s Best 100 Football Players in the World 2016
featureTue, 29 Nov 2016 17:51:17 +0000Joe Brewin657273 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comThe 5 best Home Nations playersWeve picked out the best players from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from ourBest 100 Players in the World listGreg Leahttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/5-best-home-nations-players
5. Jamie Vardy (82 in the FFT Top 100)
The Leicester striker enjoyed a fairy tale 2015/16, as his 24 goals fired the Foxes to an unlikely Premier League title. Vardy's found things a great deal tougher since rejecting Arsenal in the summer, but has still had a phenomenal year.
4. Dele Alli (75)
It can be easy to forget that Alli only made his Tottenham debut last August. The 20-year-old scored or assisted 19 goals as Spurs challenged for the Premier League title last season, with the England international now a mainstay of Mauricio Pochettino's side.
3. Harry Kane (72)
Kane consolidated his position as one of the Premier League's best strikers with another 20 goals in the first 11 months of 2016. A recent six-week layoff with injury underlined the homegrown centre-forward's importance to this Spurs side.
2. Raheem Sterling (57)
Sterling's debut season at Manchester City was a little underwhelming, while he also struggled at Euro 2016 with England. He's bounced back under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola this term, though, scoring five goals and providing four assists in 17 Premier League and Champions League appearances.
1. Gareth Bale (TBC)
The king of British football. Bale has had another brilliant year, starring in Wales' run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016 and winning a second Champions League trophy with Real Madrid. When it comes to players from the Home Nations, there's no one better.
FourFourTwo’s Best 100 Football Players in the World 2016
featureTue, 29 Nov 2016 16:42:39 +0000Greg Lea657158 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comFourFourTwo’s Best 100 Football Players in the World 2016: 80-71Part three of our countdown of the worlds top playershttp://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwos-best-100-football-players-world-2016-80-71
Featuring a pair ofTottenham terrors and two Milan-based goal machines...
Words: Adam Digby, Chris Flanagan, Huw Davies, James Maw, Joe Brewin, David Cartlidge
80. Carlos Bacca
The exception to the norm at Milan:Carlos Bacca isn't young, Italian nor a product of the Rossoneri youth sector. Yet while the San Siro outfit are looking to rebuild their crumbled reputation around the likes of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Manuel Locatelli, it's the 30-year-old Colombia international who has kept them afloat.
Bacca has bagged 26 goals in his first 55 games, maintaining pace with the strike rate he recorded at Sevilla (49 in 108) despite the team around him struggling to create chances. Simply put, no matter how badly Milan have performed, Bacca has still been finding the back of the net with deadly accuracy. –AD
79. Ilkay Gundogan
The midfielder spent two years out of the FFT100 after his headline-grabbing year of 2013, in which he scored in the Champions League final for Borussia Dortmund. But the 26-year-old has earned a FFTrecall after a year in which he's impressed in both Germany and England, either side of a five-month injury lay-off.
Linked with a move away from Dortmund for some time, it said much about Gundogan's talent that Pep Guardiola was prepared to make him his first signing for Manchester City in June, despite the player dislocating his knee cap in training little more than a month previously.
A key man in BVB’s resurgence last season, he's flourished since returning to fitness at City too, combining passing skills with an ability to join the attack and get on the scoresheet. Gundogan even netted four times in the space of four autumn days, bagging a brace at West Brom and then following it up with a double in the unforgettable Champions League win over Barcelona. –CF
78. Kevin Gameiro
The Frenchman has been a regular goalscorer throughout his career, but he kicked on to another levelin the second half of 2015/16. Gameiro netted 20 times for Sevilla after the turn of the year, eight of which came in the Rojiblancos’ run to a third consecutive Europa League trophy.
Typically reliable in front of goal, he crucially scored three times in the semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk, before his equaliser 17 seconds after half-time turned the tide against Liverpool in the Basel-hostedfinal. The 29-year-old’s form prompted Atletico Madrid to pay €32mn to take him to the Vicente Calderon, where he’s already been among the goals.
A penalty-box predator, the former Strasbourg, Lorient and PSG forward may not score too many spectacular goals, but Gameiro haslong understood the value of the tap-in. Even the slightest lapse of concentration in defence will be punished when he's around.–CF
77. Samuel Umtiti
Few players could join Barcelona at 22 and immediately see regular first-team action. Samuel Umtiti, however, doesn’t like to hang around.
The centre-back made his international debut at the Stade de France in the hosts’ Euro 2016 quarter-final (and misplaced none of his 76 passes). He kept his place for the semi, then the final. And all it took for him to get that chance was Adil Rami being banned, Mamadou Sakho being absent, Raphael Varane and Jeremy Mathieu being injured and Eliaquim Mangala being crap.
Umtiti took that chance and is now doing the same at Barcelona. In September, manager Luis Enrique admitted his surprise at how the defender, after only four games, “has adapted very quickly to a position where the club has always had handicaps”. The signs were there: he was superb in Lyon’s flying finish to 2015/16, when 11 wins in 14 games earned them a Champions League place. Nonetheless, Umtiti is progressing even faster than expected. – HD
Next: For me, yes76. Marcelo
Marcelo remains one of the most unheralded members of Real Madrid’s elite squad, but is nonetheless a key component in it. The Brazilian is one of the longest-serving members at the club – he arrived when he was just 18 –and his contributions have steadily increased over the years. Few young players can deal with the pressure that wearing the famous white shirt brings, but Marcelo has navigated every hurdle along the way.
Now, after 10 years with the club, he’s a resolute presence at full-back and has seen off the challenge from Fabio Coentrao to be los Blancos' undisputed left-back. Over time he has shored up in his defensive work, but it’s in attack where he has become a formidable, vital presence. Some of Madrid’s best moves stem from the 29-year-old, and his vibrancy in Real Madrid’s most recent Champions League triumph underpinned his importance to the team. The same can be said for when he’s with Brazil, for whom he is a key and experienced face helping bring in a new generation. –DC
75. Dele Alli
It’s a little under two years since Tottenham made a low-key £5m move for a promising midfielder plying his trade in England’s third tier. Dele Alli’s January 2015 move to Spurs didn’t make major headlines, but since arriving at White Hart Lane the following summer – having been loaned back to MK Dons just long enough to help them earn promotion to the Championship – he’s had people talking pretty much constantly.
There have been nutmegs (loads of them), and wonder goals – most notably his Goal of the Season contender at Crystal Palace – and the little moments of aggression that have enraged opposition fans and players, too.
“I like to just go out there and be myself,” Alli told FFT earlier this year. “Sometimes I get carried away with things, but I’m young and I’ve still got a lot to learn. Hugo Lloris has been a great influence on me at Tottenham and he’s spoken to me about it, too. He told me not to let that aggressive side fall out of my game, so I’m just going to keep being myself.”
Still, if he can focus more on the skill and less on the sh*thousing, he could become one of the Premier League and world’s best. – JM
74. Roberto Firmino
Firmino’s old Hoffenheim team-mates can barely believe that the scrawny young Brazilian who pitched up in Sinsheim almost five years ago is the same brilliant forward who’s now thriving at Liverpool in his second Premier League season.
It’s not that the now-25-year-old wasn’t good – it just took him a while (two-and-a-half seasons) to properly get going after arriving from Figueirense in January 2011. But that featherweight teenager is no more, replaced by a versatile and brilliant Brazil international who is part of Jurgen Klopp’s fearsome front three at Anfield.
Firmino has shone as a false nine in tandem with Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mané, having kicked on in the second half of last term with nine goals in his last 14 games (starting with a brace against Arsenal). This season has been even better: Firmino plundered five goals in his first 10 games and had a direct hand in six more. On song the trio are practically unstoppable – much like Firmino’s progression right now. –JB
Next: Italian football's most controversial character73. Claudio Marchisio
Claudio Marchisio is, without question, the unsung hero behind the success thatJuventus have enjoyed over the past five seasons. While the likes of Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Andrea Pirlo each moved on to new challenges, the Turin native remained, becoming an even more vital part of the team under Max Allegri than he was under predecessor Antonio Conte.
Formerly an energetic box-to-box midfielder with a knack for scoring important goals, Marchisio has reinvented himself as a defensive anchor and adept passer, ensuring the Bianconeri maintain a high tempo when in possession. A torn ACL meant he missed the start of the current season, and Juve struggled to reach their usual high standards without the tactical intelligence and calming influence of the criminally underrated 30-year-old. –AD
72. Harry Kane
Tournament years are often defined by their marquee competitions, but the Tottenham striker should be grateful we’re broadening our analysis a little wider.
Having rattled in 25 Premier League goals in 2015/16 – four more than he managed in his breakout season – Harry Kane travelled to Euro 2016 tipped to be among the competition’s top scorers. Yet a jaded-looking 23-year-old failed to find the net as England crashed out at the last 16 stage. Roy Hodgson, already the England manager before last, may regret his curious decision to make the 6ft 2in Spurs goal machine take corners.
Yet with his club side, the Chingford-born hitman has proven himself to be among the very best forwards that the Premier League has to offer. His goals, including an incredible bending effort against arch-rivals Arsenal in March, helped Spurs to a 3rd-place finish – their best in over 25 years.
An early-season injury slowed his progress in 2016/17, but he still managed to become the 11th-fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals. He returned just in time to score his fifth goal in five league matches in November, before netting a dramatic late brace against West Ham. –JM
71. Mauro Icardi
“Just focus on the football” would be perfect advice for both Mauro Icardi and his growing band of critics. The fallout from the love-triangle spat with former team-mate Maxi Lopez and his wife Wanda Nara was bad enough, but he's now also developed a knack of upsetting Inter supporters – both in person and via his controversial autobiography.
Yet all that simply detracts from the fact that the Nerazzurri skipper remains a deadly striker who loves performing in big games. Icardi has repeatedly proven to be the one player that Juventus's vaunted defence cannot shackle (seven goals in eight matches to date), and his overall Serie A record of a strike every other game stems directly from his incredible accuracy in front of goal. Deadly, destructive and always in the headlines – just not always for the right reasons. –AD
The list
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FourFourTwo’s Best 100 Football Players in the World 2016
featureMon, 28 Nov 2016 17:10:17 +0000Gregor MacGregor656753 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comChelsea hero Zola wary over Kane formHarry Kane's London derby record should be a concern for in-form Premier League leaders Chelsea when they face Spurs, says Gianfranco Zola.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/chelsea-hero-zola-wary-over-kane-form
Chelsea great Gianfranco Zola believes Tottenham's Harry Kane poses a threat to his former club's imperious Premier League form when the London rivals meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
Antonio Conte's league leaders have won their past six top-flight matches without conceding a goal, while Spurs needed a late turnaround against West Ham last Saturday to end a run of four consecutive draws.
Kane's late brace sealed a 3-2 triumph at White Hart Lane and the England striker, who returned this month from seven weeks on the sidelines with an ankle injury, now boasts a remarkable record of 18 goals in 22 games against London opposition
"It's a team that is difficult to beat. It's a team that has, in my opinion, a good balance of the two faces – they can attack well, but also they can defend well," Zola, who was speaking at the official unveiling of William Hill's Chelsea shop on Fulham Broadway, told Omnisport.
"Probably they are not going through the best moment, but they still are a team that you need to perform well against to beat.
"Now they have Harry Kane back, who is a player that is very important to the economy of their game. This can certainly be a very positive thing for them, but, as I said, Chelsea is in a very positive moment."
Spurs are aiming to bounce back from a 2-1 loss at Monaco on Tuesday that ended their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League, although the volatile nature of the Premier League means Zola does not feel Chelsea can be sure of continuing their stellar run.
"I am confident in a way, but not confident in another because we are talking about the Premier League which is at the moment one of the most unpredictable leagues in the world," he added.
"Anyone can beat anyone. I am confident Chelsea are in a good moment, they won six games in a row and deserved to win all of them.
"They look good and that makes me feel good, but the Premier League is tough so there will be a little bit of uncertainty.
"If Chelsea maintain the same standards they have a very good chance."
***William Hill is the official betting partner of Chelsea Football Club - Download the William Hill App for all of the latest Premier League odds***
news_articleFri, 25 Nov 2016 10:28:25 +0000Anonymous655521 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com'Gutted' Kane laments conceding 'schoolboy' Monaco winnerTottenham were dumped out of the Champions League by Monaco and Harry Kane rued a poor defensive showing and previous home struggles.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/gutted-kane-laments-conceding-schoolboy-monaco-winner
Harry Kane reflected on a bitterly disappointing Champions League campaign for Tottenham after their elimination was confirmed by Monaco.
Spurs came into Tuesday's meeting at Stade Louis II needing at least a draw to keep their hopes of progressing from Group E alive, but they were distinctly second best as the hosts ran out 2-1 winners.
Kane's penalty levelled the scores four minutes after Djibril Sidibe's opener early in the second period, but Spurs found themselves behind again just over 30 seconds later as Thomas Lemar fired home.
Monaco sealed their qualification as group winners with victory, but Spurs have only third place and the Europa League to play for, leaving Kane to rue Monaco's winner so soon after his equaliser, as well as Spurs' two home defeats earlier in the campaign.
"We're disappointed obviously, I don't think we were good enough today anyway but we got ourselves back in it at 1-1 and it was schoolboy to concede straight away after that," Kane told BT Sport.
"We've got to try and push and get another but we conceded straight away and that took the stuffing out of us and we didn't have enough to come back into the game.
"Obviously we're gutted. We wanted to go far, we're all disappointed but it's something we'll have to deal with, dust ourselves down and get ready for the weekend [against Chelsea].
"Losing two of our home games... in this competition it's got to be a fortress. Although we're at Wembley it's no excuse, we've got to make it difficult and use it to our advantage and we didn't.
"It's always difficult away from home in the Champions League, the home games is where we should have been better."
Spurs wasted a gilt-edged opportunity in the sixth minute when Son Heung-min went through one-on-one but was denied by Danijel Subasic, but Kane said the South Korean could not be blamed for a listless defeat.
"It was a big chance, Sonny knows that, nine times out of 10 he'd put that away but we can't use that as an excuse, we just weren't good enough," he said.
news_articleTue, 22 Nov 2016 22:17:03 +0000Anonymous654392 at http://www.fourfourtwo.comMonaco 2 Tottenham 1: Spurs crash out to Group E winnersA remarkable start to the second half saw Monaco advance to the Champions League knockout stages while Tottenham were dumped out.http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/monaco-2-tottenham-1-spurs-crash-out-group-e-winners
Tottenham's hopes of reaching the Champions League last 16 were ended by Monaco, who will progress as Group E winners following a 2-1 victory at Stade Louis II on Tuesday.
Following the 1-1 draw between CSKA Moscow and Bayer Leverkusen earlier on matchday five, Spurs knew a win would keep their qualification in their own hands, while a draw would leave their hopes looking slim.
But ultimately they were on the wrong end of an eventful opening to the second period as the sides traded a trio of goals in five minutes.
Monaco had already seen Hugo Lloris save Radamel Falcao's first-half penalty but their persistence was rewarded three minutes into the second half when Djibril Sidibe headed home from close range.
Harry Kane levelled matters shortly afterwards, tucking home from the spot after Kamil Glik's clumsy tug on Dele Alli, but Monaco's reply was immediate as Thomas Lemar thumped an assured left-footed finish past Lloris from a tight angle.
Try as they might, Spurs could not conjure the equaliser that would have kept them in the competition, and their meeting with CSKA at Wembley in two weeks will decide only who finishes third and claims a place in the Europa League.
Monaco, meanwhile, will head into December's draw as group winners, with their matchday six fixture against runners-up Leverkusen of little relevance.
Spurs welcomed Alli back into their starting XI and the midfielder carved out a gilt-edged opportunity as early as the sixth minute as an incisive ball caught the Monaco backline cold and sent Son Heung-min clean through, but his attempt to round Danijel Subasic was thwarted by the goalkeeper, who pushed the ball wide to safety.
Spurs ought to have been made to pay for that miss five minutes later when a succession of poor defensive clearances culminated in Eric Dier felling Fabinho with a wild swipe inside the area.
But Lloris came to his side's rescue, saving from Falcao low to his right and a double stop from Benjamin Mendy and Valere Germain followed soon afterwards as Spurs wobbled.
Monaco continued to threaten with Lemar thumping a long-range drive that was held by Lloris before Germain arrowed a low shot narrowly wide in the 35th minute.
Glik was perhaps fortunate not to receive a red card for standing on a prone Kane right in front of the referee as the half drew to a close, but the real drama began after the restart.
Sidibe put Monaco in front, thumping in a free header from six yards on the end of a cross from Mendy, who got the better of Harry Winks down the left.
Spurs' response was swift as they pulled level four minutes later, Kane succeeding where Falcao failed in converting from the spot after Alli had been hauled down by Glik.
However, Tottenham appeared to switch off straight from kick-off.
Monaco worked the ball down the right and Fabinho's cross made its way to the opposite flank and to Lemar, who had time to take a touch and drill a low effort beyond a helpless Lloris.
The France international, formerly of Monaco's local foes Nice, somehow pulled off a scarcely believable one-handed reaction save from Glik's close-range volley, a stop to rival one made against Leverkusen in a 0-0 draw on matchday three.
Lloris was at it again soon afterwards, saving impressively from Falcao but the keeper standing firm as Spurs' outstanding performer and Alli slashing a late chance wide summed up their plight as Mauricio Pochettino's side were sent crashing out.
news_articleTue, 22 Nov 2016 21:38:37 +0000Anonymous654384 at http://www.fourfourtwo.com